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With a mean annual temperature of around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the Atlantic Gulf Stream provides Ireland with a mild climate, given its latitude. Ireland does, however, receive a great deal of moisture, with some areas receiving more than 270 days of rain a year. But, this is what gives Ireland its notorious blanket of every shade of green. The benefit of visiting Ireland in November is you are between fall and winter seasons, so are more likely to have it to yourself, with the summer-fall visitors long gone and the few winter visitors not yet arrived. The Emerald Isle is famous for its cuisine, pubs, literary figures, picturesque villages and golf heritage, all of which can be part of a November visit. Fully enjoying Ireland’s attractions in November just means packing according to the expected weather, dressing in layers, and bringing appropriate head and footwear to stay comfortable, warm, and dry.

Historic Sites

Many who travel to Ireland want to trace their roots or get a sense of the rich heritage of the place. Travel to the uninhabited island of Inishmurray, off the Sligo coast in County Sligo and imagine the Vikings attacking the monks who lived within.The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary is a huge limestone outcropping topped by ruins, was once a Romanesque chapel and the seat of kings. In County Wicklow lies Glendalough, a monastery from the sixth century, which is nestled between two lakes and surrounded by woods. If you’re looking for adventure, travel to Skellig Michael, in County Kerry, across rough seas to climb to the top of this rocky outcropping, which is dedicated to archangel Michael. Visit County Kilkenny's Jerpoint Abbey, with its medieval carvings and enough remains standing to lend a sense of how spectacular these abbeys that dotted the landscape were. Visit the ruins of Clonmacnoise, on the River Shannon in County Offaly, once a literary, artistic and religious center of Ireland.

Castles

Ireland is known for its many castles, all of which will ignite your imagination and take you back to medieval times. Dunlance Castle in Country Antrim had the perfect setting to defend itself, located on a rock promontory that juts out over the ocean. King John’s Castle, also called Trim Castle, in County Meath survived from the 12th to the 17th century before it was abandoned. Visit Cahir Castle in County Tipperary to see one of the best preserved and largest castles in Ireland. To get a view of how these medieval castles were furnished, visit Bunratty Castle in County Clare, which is fully furnished. See an actual moat in County Donegal at Doe Castle, which sits on Sheep Haven Bay. Check out the towers of Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim, a Norman fortress. If you’d like to steal a smooch, visit the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in County Cork, which has impressive dungeons and Badger Cave.

Natural Sites

Many natural sites in Ireland can be explored any time of year. The Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, a 60-million-year-old formation of hexagon-shaped basalt columns that rise out of the sea, is the result of volcanic action. If you’re up for the climb, pilgrims daily ascend Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, which is 2,460 feet above sea level and is said to be a holy mountain. To view some of Ireland’s notorious sea cliffs, visit the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, which rise more than 700 feet from the sea. Wildlflowers and butterflies abound in the limestone grassland known as The Burren in the County Clare. You cannot leave Ireland without seeing some of its beautiful bog country, illustrated best in the Slieve Bloom Way in County Laois, with waterfalls, glens and gentle sloping bogs. Rising to nearly 3,500 feet, MacGillycuddy’s Reeks in County Kerry is the highest mountain range on the Iveragh Peninsula.

Ancient Sites

The many ancient sites in Ireland are worth exploration and provide insight into the rich heritage of this place. Visit the passage tomb of Newgrange, a megalithic cemetery that is 5,000 years old. Also in County Meath is Loughcrew, with two hills crowned by cruciform passage tombs, and the Hill of Tara, which was the center of Ireland’s kings and has been a place of ritual importance since the Stone Age. In County Galway lies Dun Aengus, a stone fort with walls facing the sea, on the island of Inishmore. With more than 200 passage tombs, Carrowmore and Carrowkeel in County Sligo display the reverence with which the people of Ireland hold their dead. Visit Lough Gur in County Liimerick and view its 113-stone circle, the largest in Ireland.

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About the Author

Andre Zollars started writing in 1999, when she worked in the editorial department at "The Missoulian." She has been published in "Endovascular Today," "High Country Angler," "Outside Bozeman" and "Western Ag Reporter." She also has written for online magazines New West, Hunting and Fishing USA. Zollars holds a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from the University of Washington.